


Escape

by dreamersshouldknowbetter



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, parents fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-31 05:33:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12675399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamersshouldknowbetter/pseuds/dreamersshouldknowbetter
Summary: Betty's parents are fighting. Again.





	Escape

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old one-shot that appeared on my tumblr but never quite made it to AO3 (until now)

_Are you awake?_

Betty hit send and stared at her phone screen, longing for the reply bubble to appear. When no response came she tossed her phone to the side, turning her headphones up to maximum volume. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t seem to drown out the screaming that rang out from across the hall.

Her parents had been arguing for weeks now, the product of unresolved tensions that had existed ever since her father moved back in. It was almost always regarding something insignificant - an overflowing trash bag, dishes left in the sink - any minor inconvenience sending them into a spiral.

Tonight, they were arguing about a dinner party. Her mother felt they were obligated to attend, but her father had stubbornly refused. Betty sighed as the yelling continued, frustrated with the knowledge that her mother had told her earlier in the evening how unenthusiastic she was about attending the event. 

She was beyond the point of tears, too numb to the experience to have such a reaction. Emotion had given way to emptiness, a deep-set hollowness settling at her core. She curled up beneath her blankets, wrapping her arms around her stuffed cat Caramel for comfort and checking her phone one more time. 

No response.

Betty began browsing through Netflix, finding herself too disheartened to actually select anything. It seemed like she had watched everything in the past few weeks, in constant need of an escape. Giving up, she opened her music library and hit play.

There was nothing she could do. She’d tried intervening during the first few arguments, each time finding no success in dissolving the tension. No one ever got physical, the only real damage being done verbally, and both her parents were equally as venomous. While it always placed a heavy weight on Betty’s heart, she had learned that the fights passed faster when she simply stayed in her room, doing her best to remain unnoticed. So staying in her room was exactly what she planned to do. 

Letting the soft acoustic of the guitar wash over her, Betty closed her eyes and did her best to pretend she couldn’t hear the dresser drawers slamming or her mother’s irrational cries. 

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. Betty quickly reached for it, praying she had finally received her reply.

_Look outside_

Betty’s eyes quickly darted to her window, but the familiar face was nowhere to be seen. Pulling herself out of her bed, she walked over to the window and slid it open. 

Looking down, Betty smiled as she spotted Jughead, wearing his trademark jean jacket and beanie, standing on the ground and waving up at her.

“Come down!” He whisper-yelled, pointing to the ladder he had already propped up against her house.

Betty’s eyes widened at the suggestion. Sneaking out was not something she was accustomed to, the rule-breaking still feeling scandalous even after all the drama the town had been through. She hesitated, but another shout from her father was all the push she needed to shimmy through the window and down the ladder. 

“Hi.” Jughead said as he gently assisted her off the ladder, placing his hands on her waist to stabilize her.

“Hi.” Betty echoed back, pulling closer and giving him a hello kiss, happy for a moment of relief.

“I got your text.” Jughead’s eyes were soft with concern. “Are your parents fighting again?”

“Yeah…” Betty’s eyes dropped to the ground, watching as her toes dug into the dirt beneath them. “It was just some stupid dinner party drama.”

“I’m sorry Bets.” Jughead sighed, running his hand down her arm until it connected with hers, “It will get better. Give it time.”

A half-hearted smile crossed Betty’s face, watching as he pulled her hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her fingertips. She sighed, looking up at him with tired eyes. “Just get me out of here.”

“Of course.” Jughead smiled, giving her hand a squeeze and pulling her away from the house.

Jughead led her to the street and opened the side door to FP’s truck, gesturing for her to get in. Betty didn’t need any persuasion to jump into the passenger seat.

They drove for about twenty minutes, windows rolled all the way down and soft music playing on the radio. They didn’t speak a word the entire way there, their only communication being Jughead’s hand intertwined in hers as she leaned back on the headrest and stared out at the trees that passed by.

Eventually Jughead pulled off to the side of the road and shut off the engine. Betty looked around, confused. 

“Jug, where are we?” She furled her eyebrows “I thought we were going to go to Pop’s or something. There’s nothing around here.”

“Just trust me.” Jughead winked at her. He reached into the backseat, grabbed a blanket, and hopped out of the truck without another word.

Betty cautiously followed behind him, allowing herself to be led through the forest and up a small hill. After a minute or so, the trees gave way to a clearing, and Betty stopped short. 

“Juggie,” her voice came out quiet and breathy, in awe of the field before her, “How did you know this was here?”

“You’re not the only one who has needed an escape before.” He admitted as he placed the blanket on the ground. He laid down on the blanket, signaling for her to do the same. She joined him, nestling into the crook of his elbow, his arm wrapping around her shoulder. They sat in silence for a bit, listening to the distant sound of crickets and staring up at the stars. 

“I just don’t get it.” Betty’s voice came out small, almost imperceptible as it dissolved into the vast expanse of the night sky.

“Get what?” Jughead asked.

“Why they keep fighting. Why they’re still together.” Betty confessed, her tone laced with resentment and frustration. “Can’t they just choose already? Either be together and be happy or be apart.”

“Is that what you want?” Jughead’s voice was soft with surprise, and he turned his head to look at her. “For your parents to be apart?”

“Anything would be better than this. It’s just this constant argument.” Betty sighed heavily, biting her lip and looking back up at the sky. “I just don’t understand,” she said quietly, “how two people who used to love each other so much could fall apart so badly.”

Jughead didn’t respond, knowing that her words were no longer directed at him, but rather being thrown into the sky, a question meant for the universe. Instead, he simply tightened his grip on her shoulder, slowly rubbing his thumb against her skin as a small act of reassurance.

“Juggie?” Betty whispered, turning toward him, her doe-eyes wide with concern.

“Yeah Bets?”

“What if…” Betty paused, unsure of herself, “What if that happens to us?”

“Betty,” He reached up to cup her cheek with his palm, every ounce of his body radiating sincerity. “That will never happen. I won’t let it. I would never be able to forgive myself if it did.” He moved his thumb to wipe an escaped tear from her cheek, her face flushing with heat. “You and me? We’re in it for the long haul.” 

“Promise?” She whispered, the shakiness of her tone revealing her insecurities.

“I promise.” Jughead leaned in, kissing the tip of her nose and wiping away the wild tears that streamed down her face with relief. Her pulled her close, leaving butterfly kisses on her forehead and tracing his fingers along her jawline. “I love you Betty Cooper. And that’s never going to change.”

Betty nodded, her throat too tight with emotion to respond. She curled into Jughead’s chest, letting him to wrap her up in his warm embrace. Her ran his fingers through her hair and cooed soft affections in her ear, allowing her to leave tear stains on his chest. 

Slowly but surely her breathing steadied, and Betty unfurled herself from his arms, looking at him with red-rimmed eyes.

“I love you Jughead Jones. Please never forget it.” 

“Never.” He vowed, eyes shining with devotion. Betty leaned in and kissed him, all of her cares lifting from her chest and floating off into the night sky and disappearing beyond the stars.


End file.
